Customer Reviews

Depression 2.0: Creative Strategies for Tough Economic Times (Process Self-reliance Series)

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This book promises a lot and delivers very little. It can be described as a mixture of 1) A vague retelling of what caused our economic woes, 2) Obvious "advice" such as reminding you that in hard times you can move back in with your parents, and 3) Stern admonitions about how decadent modern society is and how much better off we'd all be if our standard of living is reduced to roughly that of the medieval peasant engaged in subsistence farming and participating in a barter economy.

Now, I'm an odd enough person that I more or less agree with this last point. The trouble is that not only does Depression 2.0 contain very few actual "strategies" for coping with such an eventuality, but what it does have to tell us is written in such a self-righteous, heavy-handed manner that even as sympathetic a person as myself felt condescended to and marginalized.

What practical "strategies" this book does contain are more along the lines of making it through a tough but relatively short-lived recession, such as dumpster diving and hanging out at the library for free entertainment. If you're looking for actual tips on how to weather the big one, this is not the book for you. In fact, I can't think of any situation in which I'd recommend this book to anybody. No matter what you hope to learn, it can be learned much better elsewhere.

While the list of topics in the book's description is impressive, you will be amazed at the actual size of the book, as it is quite slim. Consequently, I found that most of the book consists of what would work well as overviews of large sections of useful, practical content, but that, unfortunately, that actual content is not there. Being told that it's a good idea to do something is nice; being told how to do it would be better.

If you are interested in real advice, practical strategies, and solid how-tos, I highly recommend "The Urban Homestead" from the same publisher. That will teach you to do everything from collecting rainwater for irrigation to baking bread to setting up a chicken coop to heating your house without electricity. Much handier to have around if things continue to get worse, and there's no reason to believe that they won't.

Depression 2.0 is a very accessible introduction to a rather difficult subject. If you've regarded survival as the exclusive domain of Third World citizens, right-wing isolationists, or left-wing communitarians, you may be surprised by coming eventualities that will push us all in this direction.

Nelson assumes the reader is coming to the table knowing little about this subject, and he has put together a very readable overview/user's guide. It's certainly not a be-all/end-all on the subject, but it will point you in the right directions if you want to learn more.

If you're well educated on the subject of surviving off-grid/roughing it, this isn't the book for you. But for a handy, easy-to-follow read on the subject, especially for the novice, Depression 2.0 is a good start to an important subject.

When times are tough, thinking outside the box can go a long way. "Depression 2.0: Creative Strategies for Tough Economic Times" is a guide for the modern American to better cope with a leaner time, when money and resources are not as readily abundant as before. Worst case scenarios, tips for cutting back, advice for planning ahead, and the value of a positive (albeit practical) outlook are all topics discussed. "Depression 2.0: Creative Strategies for Tough Economic Times" is a fine and recommended read for those who want to be prepared.